Amata Coleman Radewagen
Amata Coleman Radewagen | |
---|---|
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Eni Faleomavaega |
Personal details | |
Born | Amata Catherine Coleman December 29, 1947 Pago Pago, American Samoa |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Fred Radewagen |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Peter Tali Coleman (Father) |
Education | University of Guam (BS) Loyola Marymount University George Mason University |
Website | House website |
Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen[1] /əˈmɑːtə, ˈrædəˌwæɡən/ (born December 29, 1947), commonly called Aumua Amata /aʊˈmuːə/, is the delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republican, was elected on November 4, 2014, defeating Democratic incumbent Eni Faleomavaega. She began her tenure on January 3, 2015.[2]
Political career
From 1997 to 1999, Radewagen served on the staff of United States Representative Phil Crane of Illinois.[3] She served on the staff of United States Representative J.C. Watts, Jr. of Oklahoma from 1999 to 2003.[3] After that, she served on the staff of the House Republican Conference from 2003 to 2005.[3]
Radewagen was appointed in 2001, by President George W. Bush, as the White House Commissioner for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI); she chaired the Community Security Committee.[4][5] Radewagen was the only Pacific Islander on the 15-member commission.[4]
Since 1994, Radewagen has participated in every federal election.[6] Since 1986, she represents the American Samoa Republican Party in the Republican National Committee.[2][7] Radewagen is the most senior member.[4][8]
United States House of Representatives
2014 election
Radewagen ran for American Samoa's at-large congressional district in the 2014 elections. She defeated the Democratic incumbent Delegate Eni Faleomavaega, 42% to 31%; former Democratic Governor Togiola Tulafono finished third at 11% in the nine-way contest.[9][10]
2016 election
Radewagen was re-elected in 2016, receiving the highest number of votes in American Samoa history for any elective office, winning 75.4% of the vote cast. [11][12][13]
Tenure
Radewagen assumed office on January 3, 2015. Upon taking office, she became the Republican Party's highest ranking Asian Pacific federal officeholder in the United States.[4]
Radewagen has a bipartisan track record, ranked the 28th and 14th most bipartisan Representative in the 114th and 115th United States Congresses, respectively, by The Lugar Center and McCourt School of Public Policy's Bipartisan Index.[14][15][16]
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
Other activity
Radewagen has been involved in helping build democratic institutions internationally.[4] As a trainer since 1992, she has participated in missions to Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, and Morocco for the International Republican Institute and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, among other activities.[4]
Personal life
Radewagen is a graduate of Sacred Hearts Academy in Honolulu.[18] She is the daughter of Peter Tali Coleman, the first popularly elected Governor of American Samoa, and Nora Stewart Coleman, the former First Lady of American Samoa.[2][4] Radewagen has twelve siblings.[4] She is married to Fred Radewagen, and they have three children, and two grandchildren.[4]
Radewagen holds the orator (talking chief) title of Aumua from the Village of Pago Pago, where she is a registered voter.[4]
See also
- List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- ^ "Amata Catherine Coleman". Ancestry.com. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b c Fili Sagapolutele (November 9, 2014). "1st Woman Elected as American Samoa Delegate". Associated Press. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
- ^ a b c "RADEWAGEN, Aumua Amata Coleman". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Biography". U.S. Representative Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- ^ "National Committeewoman". gop.com. Republican National Committee. 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
- ^ "Amata Thanks American Samoa Voters". Radio New Zealand International. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ^ "Aumua Amata's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ Gizzi, John (February 9, 2015). "American Samoa's Radewagen Can Make a Difference in Committees". Marianas Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Cama, Timothy (November 5, 2014) – "American Samoa Delegate Loses Seat". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ^ Official Results of the General Election 2014 American Samoa Election Office. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- ^ "Incumbent Aumua Amata heading back to Washington D.C. - Samoa News". samoanews.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- ^ http://www.americansamoaelectionoffice.org/results/General Election 2016 RESULTS_CONGRESS.pdf
- ^ "Biography". 11 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
- ^ The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index (PDF), The Lugar Center, March 7, 2016, retrieved July 9, 2018
- ^ "The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index" (PDF). Washington, D.C.: The Lugar Center. April 24, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Aumua Amata tops bipartisan index". Pago Pago, American Samoa: Talanei. May 21, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
- ^ "Members". Congressional Western Caucus. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "RADEWAGEN, Amata Coleman". Office of the Historian. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
External links
- U.S. Representative Aumua Amata official U.S. House site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Profile at Ballotpedia
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- 1947 births
- Living people
- American Samoa Republicans
- American Samoan Roman Catholics
- American Samoan women in politics
- Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- University of Guam alumni
- Candidates in United States elections, 1994
- Candidates in United States elections, 1996
- Candidates in United States elections, 1998
- Candidates in United States elections, 2000
- 20th-century American politicians
- Candidates in United States elections, 2002
- Candidates in United States elections, 2004
- Candidates in United States elections, 2006
- Candidates in United States elections, 2008
- Candidates in United States elections, 2010
- Candidates in United States elections, 2012
- 21st-century American politicians
- Loyola Marymount University alumni
- George Mason University alumni
- Republican National Committee members
- 20th-century women politicians
- 21st-century women politicians